Give her a miracle’ – prayer vigil held for missing woman

Friday

Jun 22, 2007 at 12:01 AMJun 22, 2007 at 10:02 PM

Prayer vigil and prayer service held for Jessie Davis, who has been missing for a week.

Charita M. Goshay

In the white-walled, circular-shaped room, they gathered for a single purpose.
Oblivious to the cheerful sunlight streaming through the glass block windows of the chapel, a cluster of women wept, sang, read scripture and petitioned God for the safe return of Jessie Marie Davis.
On Thursday, the House of the Lord at 1650 Diagonal Rd., held a prayer vigil on behalf of Davis, a 26-year-old expectant mother who vanished more than a week ago from her duplex in northern Stark County.
Davis’ mother, Patty Porter, attends the House of the Lord, said the church’s associate pastor, the Rev. Cheryl Warfield. She said the church decided Wednesday to launch a vigil Thursday morning, followed by a prayer service Thursday night.
“We’re just really asking that God would move on her behalf,” she said.
“We’re just interceding and asking that God would give her a miracle.”
Thursday’s vigil, which began at 8:30 a.m., was led by ministers Delphine Allen and Gwen Cunningham. At nearly the same time, some 1,800 volunteers began combing through woods and rural areas about 10 miles south of Akron in the hope of finding Davis, who is nine months pregnant.
Allen read Psalm 121 from the Bible, which reads in part: “I will lift my eyes unto the hills. From whence cometh my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.”
“We trust and believe God is going to give the searchers wisdom and knowledge, and that it¹s going to be a positive outcome for Jessie,” Allen prayed. “In this fallen and sinful world, we don’t know why things happen. We do know God is in control.”
Warfield said Jessie Davis had attended services at the church in the past but couldn’t recall the last time she saw her.
Founded in 1974 by Bishop F. Josephus “Joey” Johnson II, the House of the Lord is a predominately black, nondenominational evangelical congregation with a membership of 6,500.
Warfield said the church would be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. next week for people wishing to pray. For more information, call the church at (330) 864-9073, or visit www.thotl.org.